Hello, Darlings!
Welcome back, and welcome to another blog from the Future of Fashion, a place where we can magically impact the future of fashion, beauty and creativity for all living creatures.
This week I want to discuss something slightly different. A few days ago, I listened to BoF’s Imran Ahmed interviewing Alessandro Michele (formerly Gucci Creative Director and currently at Valentino). They talked about success, firstly as it related to Michele’s success at Gucci. Michele brushed off that he had been hugely successful, that he was so focused on his work at the time, he did not notice. He also spoke about how polarised his “success” was in the early days. There were many haters in the early days. His style was, at that point, so new and different; it must have challenged people’s view of beauty. He also talked about how he had achieved all he wanted, in fashion terms, during his tenure at Gucci. He could have done many things outside of fashion, maybe make a movie, etc. Yet, he chose to take the extraordinary opportunity to express his view of beauty at Valentino, that the new era at Valentino is something of a bonus for him. Not a need to prove anything, but another journey in creativity. Clearly, Alessandro will experience huge success at Valentino, his creations so far have been stunning. Yet he is not being driven to be successful to prove something. We will refer to Michele’s view of success later in this blog.
This had me thinking about success. It is something I have been crazy about for as long as I can remember. I am not sure why I have been. Maybe growing up in a place where nothing was a given in the North East of England during the miners’ strike and the end of industry in that area. I had to be successful, there was no choice. I would go on to do anything I could to be “my version” of success. Relentless.
Let’s ask the obvious question - “What is success”?
SUCCESS as Oxford Dictionary defines it:
The accomplishment of an aim or purpose. "There is a thin line between success and failure"
The good or bad outcome of an undertaking
The good or ill success of their maritime enterprises
Or as Albert Schweitzer so eloquently states: “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”
This quote is very apt for the earlier reference to Alessandro Michele. Yet not necessarily how I experienced my own success, until recently.
Success is something different to different people. For some, it means financial security - this is something I would consider as success. Yet, when I have financial success, I also can feel a lack of success in other areas of life. Probably due to the focus on work and finance, I neglect or ignore important areas of life such as creativity, love and connection. Others may see personal happiness or career as being successful.
Cultural differences are also present in what is success. As are personal preferences. I know people who think success is when they are relaxed and chilled in life. I know others who only experience success when they are working excessively. So, as we can see, success is not something solid or easy to define it is a varied concept. It is a personal experience and one which is fleeting and somewhat ephemeral. So how do we measure success? It cannot be measured, as an entity in itself, only by what it produces (e.g. money). Even so, there are tangible and intangible versions of success. Money (as formerly mentioned) and happiness - totally intangible.
We drive ourselves crazy to be successful, to appear to be successful, to be seen as successful, to be known as successful. Yet, I would question if any of these appearances of success really provide the absolute sense of the success we seek.
There are so many myths about success.
Money = Success: The one we all know so well. We all know many people (including ourselves perhaps) who have money and don’t feel successful.
Success as a Destination: There is no final place called “success”. We can drive ourselves crazy in pushing to the inevitable destination, missing the joys of the journey and the joys in life.
Overnight Success: recently this has been debunked by many online influencers. The so-called overnight success is usually 10-15 years of hard work and failures.
Clearly, there are many keys and roads to success. There is so much information available on how to be successful. We must all know how to do it.
Let’s explore:
Mindset for success: So many influencers and spiritual leaders provide endless content on this
Goal Setting and focus
Ongoing learning: Constantly learning from materials and life experiences
Personal development: coaches, mentors, masterminds and courses
Hard work and perseverance
Flexibility in challenges: the ability to try, fail, pivot and start again
The practical ways to achieve success are all available to us. So why are many people still struggling with success? The answer to this question is complex, nuanced and very personal.
Let’s consider some answers here:
Some of us are unwilling to do what it takes to be an Alessandro Michele
Some of us have children and families. It is not possible (or at least this is how we see it)
We did not have the opportunity to work in luxury fashion. Not born in Italy - like Michele
Not talented enough.
To summarise: from this exploration of success, something has become clear to me.
Success is a personal game.
For myself, I have shifted my focus from being successful - which in my terms is being driven - to being fulfilled. Fulfilled in my terms is to feel good about my work, and my progress, I have peace of mind and it is something I can impact myself. I am not looking for outside confirmation to confirm my fulfilment or success. The insight I gleaned from Alessandro was beautiful. When we have nothing to prove and are acting from our own creative contribution as a service, we can truly experience success.
To make this an even more valuable experience, I am giving you these very important questions below.
What does success mean for you?
Without external recognition, what would success mean for you?
How would you experience success as a tangible result and as a feeling?
What does fulfilment mean for you?
What are the steps for you to experience fulfilment right now?
What have you been successful in and are successful in right now?
Be clear - this is a journey and not a destination. Enjoy the journey!
As always, have fun, love life, and enjoy fashion.
Kate xx
